Cinque Terre or Amalfi Coast

That is a tough choice trying to decide between the two. I guess it depends on what you want to do. If you are looking to slow down and relax and not do much then I would pick CT. The things to do in CT are walk around the towns, eat great food, and hike the trail. If you are looking for a little bit more activity then Sorrento would be a better choice. From Sorrento you can go to pompeii, naples, capri, bus the amalfi coast, eat great food, and more. If you pick CT make sure you find a place to stay that has a balcony or a terrace that you can relax on to get away from the crowds. I really like Manuel's Guesthouse.

It is a tough choice; that's why on my next trip in July, I am going to CT for the first time , but I'm also returning to the Amalfi Coast for the 3rd time! I simply can't get enough of the spectacular Amalfi Coast. I personally would go to the Amalfi Coast if you had to choose one.

Thanks. You're right- tough choice. We have never been to both places. I was just wondering with our itinerary of Barcelona and Rome in 12 days in June, if we could include both places - Amalfi coast and to make Cinque Terre a daytrip or is it pushing it? I understand that We would only be able to do perhaps 2 places in the Amalfi.

In my opinion, the CT can't hold a candle to the Amalfi Coast, not even in terms of natural beauty. If you choose the latter, there's also much more to do and see, in addition to eating great food. Ravello has two spectacular villas with beautiful gardens - - one hosts music festivals. Amalfi has a pretty duomo with a small museum, as does Ravello. Paestum, Sorrento, even Naples are reachable for day trips. I'd go for the Amalfi option.

Sally, I'm going to Positano (Amalfi Coast) for a full week and Vernazza (CT) for 3 nights. If I were you, I'd probably just do the Amalfi Coast for whatever time you have and save CT for another time. There is quite a bit to do & see on the Amalfi Coast including Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi, Ravello, Capri & Pompeii if you like. I personally don't think you have enough time to enjoy both.

Thanks. If it's Amalfi Coast , then we can do Rome first then do Amalfi and do Barcelona the last ?
Which place would be a good base for Amalfi Coast for 4 days?

Whichever order you choose, be sure to get open jaw tickets. Personally, I would do the Italian part first, because, as the summer wears on, Italy gets hotter and more crowded. That's an especially important consideration in coastal resort areas. In fact, it seems to me that it wouldn't be a bad idea to start with the Amalfi Coast. The less frantic pace (than Rome) might be good for getting over jet lag. Lodgings in Amalfi, itself, are less expensive than Positano or Ravello; and it's more of a transportation hub. Many people like Sorrento as a base; but I can't comment, as I haven't been there.

Thanks Rosalyn for your advice of doing Italy first due to weather . To do Amalfi first then we still have to fly to Rome? or is there another airport close by. sorry I didn't have a chance to do research regarding the closest airport. At first, I was thinking of Cinque Terre in the middle of the trip as it looks like it will be more relaxing but I didn't take into consideration the hiking. We're ok with some hiking but not too much as we will have Rome and Barcelona.
Plus, Rick'd features on Cinque Terre looks so inviting but I am sure Amalfi would be that way too.

sally, The Cinque Terre and Amalfi Coast are each somewhat "unique", so it's difficult to compare them. Which place to visit will probably depend on what type of touring you want at that point in your trip, and how well the destination fits with your overall travel route. The Cinque Terre is more informal and a great place to relax after strenuous touring in other places. There's not much to do except hike the trails, get some sun and enjoy the food and the ambience. It's not really practical to visit the C.T. as a day trip from Rome, as the train ride is a minimum of 3H:45M each way from Roma Termini to La Spezia Centrale (plus a bit of additional time depending on which of the five villages you decide to stay in). The Amalfi Coast tends to be much more "upscale" (and expensive), but there are a greater range of touring options in that area - Pompeii, Vesuvius, day trips to Capri, etc. Sorrento is the location I'd choose for a "home base" in that area. It will be easier to work out transportation details once you've decided which location you prefer. Good luck with your planning!

Ken, my original plan was to have a place in the middle of our itinerary where we could relax and not be in any pressure or rush to do a lot of sightseeing. I know with Rome and Barcelona, we'll be doing a lot of sightseeing and walking. The way you explained it, it seems like CT would be a good place to wind down before moving on to our next itinerary. I am still undecided . If I chose CT , would 3 days be enough?
I am sorry to ask this but is it possible to do a daytrip to amalfi ? Thanks.

The closest airport to the Amalfi coast is Naples. If you just want to sit around and relax, go to Cinque Terre. It's picturesque, and you can go for a hike or two or hang out at a beach. There is far more to see and do in the Amalfi coast area - and I agree with Rosalyn, it's just as beautiful as CT, if not more so. I like to see as much as I can see when I travel, so the Amalfi coast is my preference by a long shot.

Haven't been to Amalfi but have been to both Sorrento and the CT. I would choose Sorrento/Amalfi for all the reasons listed by others. It's very beautiful and there's tons to see and do.

I would like to see more when I travel.It seems there are more votes for the Amalfi coast. If possible, I would love to do 3 places in the coast. Is it doable to do Amalfi, Sorrento and Capri in 4 days? Which is the most reasonable place for a hotel base ? Is it ok not to drive and just public transportation? Thanks.

Yes, Sally, you can do a ride down the Amalfi coasr and a ride out to Capri (going in good weather, I hope - especially of you want to go to the Blue Grotto) and a couple of days in Sorrento in 4 days. You may wish you had M-o-r-e time after you fall in love with it. Rick talks about how to do all that by bus, boat, and train in the tourbook.

Sally - to answer your specific questions: yes, 4 days is plenty of time to see those places. Sorrento is the best town for a hotel base. Public transportation - boat, bus, and even train if you want visit more inland places like Pompeii - is definitely the preferred way to see the Amalfi coast.

I too think Sorrento will be your best bet. It will be the easiest for all your sightseeing, since you'll be there only four days. It's also a lovely town, flatter and more walkable than say Positano or Amalfi. The drive from Sorrento to Amalfi is amazing. If you take the SITA bus, you can get on/off in any of the towns including Positano and Amalfi. In Amalfi, you would get off that bus and get on another bus to go UP to Ravello. From Sorrento to Amalfi, make sure you sit on the right side of the bus for the views, and coming home on the left side. Capri is exquisite too. Don't mistake the arrival port as the final destination or you'll be disappointed. You must take the funicular to the top and you'll see how beautiful it really is. Take a walk to the faraglioni "look out" near Hotel Punta Tragara. It's a lovely walk and the view of the faraglioni is beautiful. I'm going to be in Positano for a week right after you - in July!

sally, "my original plan was to have a place in the middle of our itinerary where we could relax and not be in any pressure or rush to do a lot of sightseeing" Given the clarification you provided in the above statement, I'd lean towards the Cinque Terre. As you appear to want this primarily as a "rest & recovery" spot, IMHO the C.T. is a better choice. Although you could still rest to some extent in Sorrento or the Amalfi coast, there's a lot more to do there so you might feel compelled to start touring Pompeii, Vesuvius, Capri or other locations, which probably wouldn't be as restful. In addition, the C.T. "fits" somewhat better on the route between Rome and Barcelona. It's a long trip by train, but somewhat more tolerable if you schedule a one-night intermediate stop in France. Nice would be ideal, although the first part of the trip from Barcelona would be a long travel day. However, you could choose another town in France for the intermediate stop. The next part from Nice to Monterosso is much easier. Happy travels!

Kerry, when I read your description, I can almost see myself sitting on the bus in Sorrento and seeing the beautiful turquoise water. Ken, the original plan was to have CT as a base to rest but there is something in Kerry's posting that tells me this time it will be the Amalfi coast. I just need to convince my travelling companion, then I will need to plan out itinerary of Barcelona- Amalfi-Rome or vice versa. Previous post mentioned about flying to Naples and starting with Italy as it gets pretty hot in the summer. I still have to figure out how the itinerary will work. I am not sure if from San Francisco, I would need to connect to Rome first and change plane to Naples? Thanks

it's an easy train ride from rome to naples. you can then reach sorrento by train or speed boat.

Thanks everyone for your feedbacks. I have decided to do Rome- Amalfi Coast and Barcelona as our 14 days itinerary. We'll start researching for detailed itinerary .